Championship outfit Birmingham City have granted permission to their Young Player of the Year Viv Solomon-Otabor to link up with the Nigeria U23s squad ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.<br /><br />The Blues hierarchy had played hardball over the release of the highly-rated winger but softened their heart after the player and his agent appealed.<br /><br /><span>&ldquo;It</span><span>&rsquo;s correct he has been called up to the Nigeria U23s. Initially his club refused to grant him permission to join the team, as an integral part of their first team, </span><span>&rdquo; Viv</span><span>&rsquo;s dad, ex-Bendel Insurance star Victor-Banks Otabor, told <b>allnigeriasoccer.com</b>.<br /><br /></span><span>&ldquo;But after some discussions with Viv, his agent and the club manager, the manager now granted his release on Wednesday afternoon.<br /><br /></span><span>&ldquo;From what I know he wants to represent Nigeria, he</span><span>&rsquo;s a Nigerian fanatic, that I can tell you. </span><span>&rdquo;</span> <br /><br />&nbsp;The 20-year-old Solomon-Otabor trained with the Nigeria U23s last summer and was in line to make his long awaited debut for the Samson Siasia-led side in November/December 2015 but the Africa U23 Cup of Nations&nbsp; fell outside Fifa&rsquo;s international match calendar.<br /><br />Ifeanyi Emmanuel <br />